Ok, it's time to discuss what training does to your appetite. I've trained for a few marathons and have done a couple centuries and have always been hungrier during the training, particularly at the end, but I have to say, I've never been the ravenous beast that I am now until triathlon training. I am hungry from the moment I get out of bed until the moment I fall asleep, and sometimes for small pockets of time when I wake up during the night. It's pretty much all I think about. I have to deliberately plan every thing I eat to get through my training and my day. I was out for a ride today and passed a girl and guy riding casually and chatting, and all I heard of their discussion was "roasted eggplant with a little goat cheese" and I was salivating. I was pretty depleted on this ride and got to the point where it was too late for a GU, but seriously, just hearing about food put me over the edge.
My day started with a swim, I did .75 miles and tried to focus on doing more uninterrupted sets. I had a fairly unusual experience today though - at one point, I was the only swimmer in the pool. I hate the crowds, but I also don't want to be the only one. Thankfully, the guy in the lane next to me must have been just hitting the loo because he came back and took some of the pressure off me. I had an ok swim, but still not great. I need to learn how to breathe more naturally and got some great advice on the beginnertriathlete.com forum that I can't wait to try out. This community has been a huge help to me. I'm so glad I found it.
My ride was great aside from my food fantasies. I kept a good pace and think I'll be able to clear the ride in my race in about 1:30:00 if all goes well. But the fact that I was hungry and fatigued was overwhelming. I ate lunch, then a snack, then a dessert, then had a coffee, then had cereal, and this was all before going out for drinks. Then drinks led to tons of guacamole, equal amounts of chips and a massive plate of pork tacos. I was with two fairly heavy-eating guys and I still ate more. I'm starting to scare people and I'm only scratching the surface.
Tomorrow I'm going to work on breathing instead of just distance. I want to be as ready as possible for my open water swim in Michigan, which I have no doubt will push me to a new level of hunger. I look forward to my response.
Sport - Swimming
Distance - 1400 yards (1280 meters or .79 miles)
Time - 45:00
Sport - Biking
Distance - 23.25 miles
Time - 1:35:54
June 18, 2008
June 17, 2008
Mile-Stones
I reached a major milestone today in my swimming - I finally covered one mile. In my pool, one mile is 72 lengths and I managed to drag myself about 76 lengths. It took an hour, but I felt pretty good the entire time even though I'm still taking a lot of breaks. I think I'm ready to push past the breaks and try for more consecutive laps with smaller rests in between sets. I just have to keep taking it one day at a time since this was still only my 14th swim ever. I'm just happy to have gotten this far so quickly.
Even though it rated as a good swim, I did have to suffer some more indignity. The pool is always crowded on Tuesdays so sharing a lane is a certainty. My lane mate left about 20 minutes after I started and for a brief time, I got it all to myself. But then, worse than the rippling-muscle-speedo guy from a couple weeks ago, the female lifeguard joined me. I've seen her swim before so I was immediately mortified. She got in and tore up our lane, totally putting me to shame and making me more conscious of my every move than before. She is extremely fast so she did her swim and got out. But then, to layer on more suffering, she sat on the dive platform at the end of our lane and chatted with - who else - the rippling-muscle-speedo guy who just happened to be in the next lane over! But once again, I was selected for the share instead of him, even though they are clearly friendly, because I am the slow, sad swimmer that makes the perfect lane mate. I hope she at least noticed my massive improvement since first coming to the pool on May 19.
Since I couldn't get in a real ride today, I hopped on the trainer after dinner for a one-hour ride. I can never bike as fast on the trainer as I can outside, but the effort always feels incredibly hard because I'm constantly pedaling. Even though I've gotten better at not coasting when outside, you still get the help of downhills and varied terrain that makes it feel different. But the hardest part of riding on the trainer for me is the boredom. An hour is usually my limit. I got in a little over 12 miles and called it a night.
I'm not working tomorrow so I'm hoping to get in a good training day. I'll wait and see what sounds good in the morning.
Sport - Swimming
Distance - 1800 yards (1645 meters or 1.02 miles)
Time - 1:00:00
Sport - Biking (on trainer)
Distance - 12.63 miles
Time - 1:00:00
Even though it rated as a good swim, I did have to suffer some more indignity. The pool is always crowded on Tuesdays so sharing a lane is a certainty. My lane mate left about 20 minutes after I started and for a brief time, I got it all to myself. But then, worse than the rippling-muscle-speedo guy from a couple weeks ago, the female lifeguard joined me. I've seen her swim before so I was immediately mortified. She got in and tore up our lane, totally putting me to shame and making me more conscious of my every move than before. She is extremely fast so she did her swim and got out. But then, to layer on more suffering, she sat on the dive platform at the end of our lane and chatted with - who else - the rippling-muscle-speedo guy who just happened to be in the next lane over! But once again, I was selected for the share instead of him, even though they are clearly friendly, because I am the slow, sad swimmer that makes the perfect lane mate. I hope she at least noticed my massive improvement since first coming to the pool on May 19.
Since I couldn't get in a real ride today, I hopped on the trainer after dinner for a one-hour ride. I can never bike as fast on the trainer as I can outside, but the effort always feels incredibly hard because I'm constantly pedaling. Even though I've gotten better at not coasting when outside, you still get the help of downhills and varied terrain that makes it feel different. But the hardest part of riding on the trainer for me is the boredom. An hour is usually my limit. I got in a little over 12 miles and called it a night.
I'm not working tomorrow so I'm hoping to get in a good training day. I'll wait and see what sounds good in the morning.
Sport - Swimming
Distance - 1800 yards (1645 meters or 1.02 miles)
Time - 1:00:00
Sport - Biking (on trainer)
Distance - 12.63 miles
Time - 1:00:00
June 16, 2008
Birds of a Feather
I finally had a good run today. I got up with the intention of swimming in the morning and running in the evening, but then saw in the weather report that more thunderstorms were expected. I switched my plan and did a 5-mile morning run instead. I felt good right from the start, something that has certainly been elusive lately. I was keeping a decent pace and was not struggling. I was loosely tracking where I was each mile and seemed to be averaging just around 8:30 - a little slower on the first couple and much faster on the final couple. I did my last mile in 8:15 for a 42:03 finish.
I did have a rather comical wildlife encounter along the route. I was passing through an area called South Cove where a group of tourists were strolling slowly and blocking the fairly tight turn. I made it a point to zip past them as fast as possible, hoping to remind them they were in a park with a recreation path. Just as I turned the corner, there was a flock of pigeons hovering kind of low as if they had just taken off. I've seen this sight hundreds of times and the birds usually move out of the way. Usually being the operative word here. As I ran through, a huge pigeon struck me on the head. It was like someone dropped a rock on me and I felt its poky orange feet in my hair. I screamed and then shouted "gross," as I continued to run. So not only did I teach the tourists a valuable lesson in blocking the park path, I showed them what an idiot New Yorker does when a filthy bird lands on their head. At least I gave them a good story to tell.
I'm ashamed to say that my evening swim never happened. I had a busy day and was tired so I bagged it. I have yet to drag myself to the pool at night. I can sit here and make all the excuses in the world, but they will only be excuses so I'll just admit to deciding not to do it and leave it at that. I will try to swim Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday since I'll be in Michigan for six days starting Friday. However, I found a local pool I can visit while there and I'll be doing an open water swim in Lake Michigan this weekend. I'll be sure to watch out for the seagulls.
Sport - Running
Distance - 5 miles
Time - 42:03
I did have a rather comical wildlife encounter along the route. I was passing through an area called South Cove where a group of tourists were strolling slowly and blocking the fairly tight turn. I made it a point to zip past them as fast as possible, hoping to remind them they were in a park with a recreation path. Just as I turned the corner, there was a flock of pigeons hovering kind of low as if they had just taken off. I've seen this sight hundreds of times and the birds usually move out of the way. Usually being the operative word here. As I ran through, a huge pigeon struck me on the head. It was like someone dropped a rock on me and I felt its poky orange feet in my hair. I screamed and then shouted "gross," as I continued to run. So not only did I teach the tourists a valuable lesson in blocking the park path, I showed them what an idiot New Yorker does when a filthy bird lands on their head. At least I gave them a good story to tell.
I'm ashamed to say that my evening swim never happened. I had a busy day and was tired so I bagged it. I have yet to drag myself to the pool at night. I can sit here and make all the excuses in the world, but they will only be excuses so I'll just admit to deciding not to do it and leave it at that. I will try to swim Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday since I'll be in Michigan for six days starting Friday. However, I found a local pool I can visit while there and I'll be doing an open water swim in Lake Michigan this weekend. I'll be sure to watch out for the seagulls.
Sport - Running
Distance - 5 miles
Time - 42:03
June 15, 2008
Little Bricks
Today was my first-ever brick workout, with my twice-weekly JackRabbit training group. We met bright and early (emphasis on early) this morning at 7, instead of 8, to avoid the Father's Day race in the park. That means I had to get up at - gasp - 5:30 to have time for the appropriate number of Eggos and coffee before my ride up to the park.
The air was wet this morning, but it wasn't yet warm. It was a particularly disgusting brand of humidity that makes you wish summer was over and fall was on the way. I arrived on time and was ready for the day's challenge. We proceeded to set up a transition area with our running shoes and assorted accessories, then took off for a loop ride. If we weren't stopped after one loop, that meant to ride on for a second loop before the run. I wasn't stopped so I did two loops, 12.04 miles. I rode well, but not nearly as well as last week's time trial. There were a couple people in the group that I tried to keep up with, but my legs failed me and they continued to pull away. There was one girl that I tried to follow the entire way and I was elated to blast past her on the second time up Harlem Hill, but she still managed to dust me on the straightaway. Clearly, I need to work on my speed.
I rode into transition, which was only about 1.5-2 minutes total, slipped off my bike shoes, pulled on my running shoes, ditched the helmet, put on my running hat and off I went. It's no wonder they call the workout a brick because that's what your legs feel like. I had ridden 16 miles total with the trip up to the park, so nothing too crazy. But I was asking my body to fire totally different muscles, and it seemed to take forever for those muscles to kick in. I felt like I was running in slow motion, yet my heart rate was sky high. All of this subsided after about a mile. Too bad I was only running 1.7 miles! As I reached the one-mile mark, I realized the guy right in front of me must be in my group (what other guy is running in Central Park in bike shorts?). I gained on him, we chatted a bit, and to my delight, I passed him. He had started before me and I comfortably overcame him. While I'm not competing with my training mates, I'm competing with myself and my running has been disappointing lately so this made me feel great. I finished strong and felt really good.
I had a nice, short four-mile ride home and was able to hit the local diner before most people even rolled out of bed for the day. Getting up so early has made today feel like two days instead of one, which is most certainly a great reason for early rising (although not likely to motivate many repeats).
I registered today for the Flat as a Pancake Sprint triathlon on June 28 on Staten Island. I think I need the warm-up in advance of the NYC Triathlon. I don't want to be experiencing a world of "firsts" that day and am hoping this Sprint will let me work through the unknowns and anxieties of race day. And, best of all, they serve pancakes. What more could you ask for?
Sport - Brick (Biking, Running)
Distance - Biking: 19.42 miles total; Running: 1.7 miles
Time - Biking: 1:22:19 total; Running: 14:05
The air was wet this morning, but it wasn't yet warm. It was a particularly disgusting brand of humidity that makes you wish summer was over and fall was on the way. I arrived on time and was ready for the day's challenge. We proceeded to set up a transition area with our running shoes and assorted accessories, then took off for a loop ride. If we weren't stopped after one loop, that meant to ride on for a second loop before the run. I wasn't stopped so I did two loops, 12.04 miles. I rode well, but not nearly as well as last week's time trial. There were a couple people in the group that I tried to keep up with, but my legs failed me and they continued to pull away. There was one girl that I tried to follow the entire way and I was elated to blast past her on the second time up Harlem Hill, but she still managed to dust me on the straightaway. Clearly, I need to work on my speed.
I rode into transition, which was only about 1.5-2 minutes total, slipped off my bike shoes, pulled on my running shoes, ditched the helmet, put on my running hat and off I went. It's no wonder they call the workout a brick because that's what your legs feel like. I had ridden 16 miles total with the trip up to the park, so nothing too crazy. But I was asking my body to fire totally different muscles, and it seemed to take forever for those muscles to kick in. I felt like I was running in slow motion, yet my heart rate was sky high. All of this subsided after about a mile. Too bad I was only running 1.7 miles! As I reached the one-mile mark, I realized the guy right in front of me must be in my group (what other guy is running in Central Park in bike shorts?). I gained on him, we chatted a bit, and to my delight, I passed him. He had started before me and I comfortably overcame him. While I'm not competing with my training mates, I'm competing with myself and my running has been disappointing lately so this made me feel great. I finished strong and felt really good.
I had a nice, short four-mile ride home and was able to hit the local diner before most people even rolled out of bed for the day. Getting up so early has made today feel like two days instead of one, which is most certainly a great reason for early rising (although not likely to motivate many repeats).
I registered today for the Flat as a Pancake Sprint triathlon on June 28 on Staten Island. I think I need the warm-up in advance of the NYC Triathlon. I don't want to be experiencing a world of "firsts" that day and am hoping this Sprint will let me work through the unknowns and anxieties of race day. And, best of all, they serve pancakes. What more could you ask for?Sport - Brick (Biking, Running)
Distance - Biking: 19.42 miles total; Running: 1.7 miles
Time - Biking: 1:22:19 total; Running: 14:05
June 14, 2008
All Over the Place
Each day while training, I think about potential titles for the day's posting, usually in reaction to whatever has been most prominent. However, my thoughts today were all over the place and I was unable to pinpoint just one observation. So today, I'm posting in sections.
Weekend Warriors
Since yesterday turned out to be a total bust training-wise due to a late birthday night, I decided to make up for it with a morning swim, my first visit to the pool on the weekend. There was no one on the street and the building was virtually empty so I was feeling excited that it might be nice and quiet at the pool. Alas, that was not the case. Apparently there are tons of people who enjoy a nice Saturday swim. The pool was packed, but luckily there was one lane with just one swimmer so I hopped in.
Every time I swim, I do better than the last time. I'm still not breathing properly, but everything else is coming along so nicely that I've let it go for now. I noticed today that I don't need breaks as much, but I've gotten into the habit of stopping after each lap, like it's a reward for doing well. I need to break this habit, particularly when I don't need the rest. I swam 25 laps today (50 lengths), which is the furthest I've gone yet. I wanted to get to 54 lengths because it equals .75 miles, but just as I finished my last lap, the swim time was up. Next time.
Before I move on to running, I need to make a note about my previous swimming entries. I've been referring to lengths as laps. I'm an idiot. A lap is actually two lengths, a round trip from your starting point. So from now on, when I refer to a lap I'll be doing it correctly.
The Color Purple
When I got back from the pool, it was already getting pretty toasty outside. My lazy side kicked in and I really didn't feel like going running. But after remembering my lazy day yesterday and all the birthday beers I drank, I finally motivated myself to go. It was 82 degrees and I run along the Hudson where there isn't a speck of shade, so I slathered on the SPF 55 and was on my way.
I used to be a runner. I vaguely recall finishing a marathon not so long ago, even despite record-high heat. I remember going from a 9.5 minute mile to 8.5 or less in just a month after that marathon. I remember thinking a 12-mile run was short. But lately, I don't feel like a runner. I have struggled to get it back after my plantar fasciitis break and I admit I'm not putting in enough miles due to the other parts of my training. Today's run was a little frustrating. I felt fatigued from the very first step and it did not improve. And just for fun, I had a horrible side stitch for the entire first mile. Always a treat. In an effort to avoid being Debbie Downer, I'm going to first point out the positives, then have a look at the negatives.
Positive:
1. I actually did it, versus staying on the couch like I really wanted to.
2. My plantar fasciitis seems to be a thing of the past for now. In fact, I didn't experience pain anywhere during the run.
3. It's finished.
Negative:
1. My legs felt like lead the entire time. Every step was deliberate and labored.
2. Side stitches - why am I suddenly getting these? It's such a pain. Literally.
3. I had to take a couple breaks to find the motivation to continue. Sad.
4. During the last 1.5 miles or so, even my arms and back were fatigued.
Maybe I didn't eat enough this morning or maybe I used it all up on the swim. I just don't know. But it was a pretty awful run, one I could not wait to finish. Plus I'm just not used to summer running yet. I was so hot the entire time that no amount of water over the head seemed to help. When I got home, I noticed my face was literally purple! Tons of cold water and about two hours later, it faded to a nice shade of pink. I'm surprised no one called an ambulance for me.
Running is tough and I know it takes time to get back into so I'm going to step it up this week and hopefully see some improvements. My NYC Marathon training schedule begins Monday, June 30. I was hoping to have done really solid base training this year, but I got sidetracked by the tri. While I haven't been putting in the mileage, I know the tri training will pay dividends later through overall better fitness.
My Sincere Apologies to the Pedicure Lady
I'm a fairly girly girl. I take my $80 shampoo to the pool, I have a bathroom closet that looks like an aisle at Sephora, I try to be waxed, tweezed and pedicured, particularly in the summer months. However, due to work and training, I've let things slip a bit lately. Everyone knows that runners have ugly feet. The only thing uglier would be a triathlete's feet. I went for a very long overdue pedicure today and felt as though I should have been charged more for the service. It looked like Edward Scissorhands did my last pedicure and I can't even admit how long ago that was. So for at least a week, before the pool, friction from my bike shoes and the unforgiving torture that running inflicts, I'll be able to wear sandals and peep-toe's with pride.
Sport - Swimming
Distance - 1,143 meters (50 lengths; .71 miles)
Time - 45:00
Sport - Running
Distance - 4.65 miles
Time - 40:58
Weekend Warriors
Since yesterday turned out to be a total bust training-wise due to a late birthday night, I decided to make up for it with a morning swim, my first visit to the pool on the weekend. There was no one on the street and the building was virtually empty so I was feeling excited that it might be nice and quiet at the pool. Alas, that was not the case. Apparently there are tons of people who enjoy a nice Saturday swim. The pool was packed, but luckily there was one lane with just one swimmer so I hopped in.
Every time I swim, I do better than the last time. I'm still not breathing properly, but everything else is coming along so nicely that I've let it go for now. I noticed today that I don't need breaks as much, but I've gotten into the habit of stopping after each lap, like it's a reward for doing well. I need to break this habit, particularly when I don't need the rest. I swam 25 laps today (50 lengths), which is the furthest I've gone yet. I wanted to get to 54 lengths because it equals .75 miles, but just as I finished my last lap, the swim time was up. Next time.
Before I move on to running, I need to make a note about my previous swimming entries. I've been referring to lengths as laps. I'm an idiot. A lap is actually two lengths, a round trip from your starting point. So from now on, when I refer to a lap I'll be doing it correctly.
The Color Purple
When I got back from the pool, it was already getting pretty toasty outside. My lazy side kicked in and I really didn't feel like going running. But after remembering my lazy day yesterday and all the birthday beers I drank, I finally motivated myself to go. It was 82 degrees and I run along the Hudson where there isn't a speck of shade, so I slathered on the SPF 55 and was on my way.
I used to be a runner. I vaguely recall finishing a marathon not so long ago, even despite record-high heat. I remember going from a 9.5 minute mile to 8.5 or less in just a month after that marathon. I remember thinking a 12-mile run was short. But lately, I don't feel like a runner. I have struggled to get it back after my plantar fasciitis break and I admit I'm not putting in enough miles due to the other parts of my training. Today's run was a little frustrating. I felt fatigued from the very first step and it did not improve. And just for fun, I had a horrible side stitch for the entire first mile. Always a treat. In an effort to avoid being Debbie Downer, I'm going to first point out the positives, then have a look at the negatives.
Positive:
1. I actually did it, versus staying on the couch like I really wanted to.
2. My plantar fasciitis seems to be a thing of the past for now. In fact, I didn't experience pain anywhere during the run.
3. It's finished.
Negative:
1. My legs felt like lead the entire time. Every step was deliberate and labored.
2. Side stitches - why am I suddenly getting these? It's such a pain. Literally.
3. I had to take a couple breaks to find the motivation to continue. Sad.
4. During the last 1.5 miles or so, even my arms and back were fatigued.
Maybe I didn't eat enough this morning or maybe I used it all up on the swim. I just don't know. But it was a pretty awful run, one I could not wait to finish. Plus I'm just not used to summer running yet. I was so hot the entire time that no amount of water over the head seemed to help. When I got home, I noticed my face was literally purple! Tons of cold water and about two hours later, it faded to a nice shade of pink. I'm surprised no one called an ambulance for me.
Running is tough and I know it takes time to get back into so I'm going to step it up this week and hopefully see some improvements. My NYC Marathon training schedule begins Monday, June 30. I was hoping to have done really solid base training this year, but I got sidetracked by the tri. While I haven't been putting in the mileage, I know the tri training will pay dividends later through overall better fitness.
My Sincere Apologies to the Pedicure Lady
I'm a fairly girly girl. I take my $80 shampoo to the pool, I have a bathroom closet that looks like an aisle at Sephora, I try to be waxed, tweezed and pedicured, particularly in the summer months. However, due to work and training, I've let things slip a bit lately. Everyone knows that runners have ugly feet. The only thing uglier would be a triathlete's feet. I went for a very long overdue pedicure today and felt as though I should have been charged more for the service. It looked like Edward Scissorhands did my last pedicure and I can't even admit how long ago that was. So for at least a week, before the pool, friction from my bike shoes and the unforgiving torture that running inflicts, I'll be able to wear sandals and peep-toe's with pride.
Sport - Swimming
Distance - 1,143 meters (50 lengths; .71 miles)
Time - 45:00
Sport - Running
Distance - 4.65 miles
Time - 40:58
June 12, 2008
Birthday Surprises
All good birthdays are filled with surprises. Usually, these surprises are in the form of gifts or fun, unexpected experiences. But for me, I had a series of frustrating surprises as I tried to go about my day. I woke up and had a very limited amount of time to get to the pool. But this was OK, I was riding my bike today for the first time. I was all set to go when the surprises began. First, my fancy Kryptonite lock was way too big to wear around my waist. I've lost about 15 pounds over the last 6 months and I'm guessing that's the reason. I wrapped it around my seat post and went on my way. Next, I didn't think about what I would do with my perfect mesh shoulder bag. I guess I thought I would keep it on my shoulder, but as soon as I started to ride, it slipped forward and became a nuisance. Of course, I'm now in NYC traffic so no changes can be made. Nice planning.
My once-perfect mesh bag was scraping along the spokes with every revolution. I just could not keep it behind my back. And then that damn lock. It hit my leg every time I tried to pedal. I did my best to ignore it. Oh, and there was one more problem. At home, when I was getting ready to go, my bike computer threw me a curve ball. It's supposed to come off easily. But regardless of what I tried, it wouldn't budge. I was prepared to rip the damn thing off when I finally gave up and let it go.
I had a pretty good swim. It was really crowded so I ended up switching lanes a few times, but I felt I was doing well. I'm still not thrilled with how I breathe - I lift my head all the way out of the water and look forward, which makes your legs drop and makes everything more tiring, but I don't know how else to do it. I have tried and tried again to breathe to the side, but it just hasn't caught on. Everything else is going well so I can't complain.
Today was my birthday so after the pool, I wasn't sure I wanted to do more. I came home and killed some time, then decided "what the hell." I got on my bike and headed up to Central Park. It turns out my bike computer was still not working so I was unable to track distance or time. But hey, it was my birthday and I wasn't out to set any records. I rode up to the park and did a couple loops. But seriously - did the rest of New York not get the memo that today was my birthday and that they should all stay out of my way? I was surprised by how crowded it was and after two laps, after a random old lady called another cyclist a "dirty son-of-a-bitch" and told him to drop dead, I'd had enough. It was a nice ride, but it was very leisurely, as a birthday ride should be.
I headed home and made my way out to my usual bar for my b-day celebration. As said before, I'm not big on birthdays, but if you're going to celebrate it, do it with the people you most like to be with. And that's what I did tonight.Sport - Swimming
Distance - At least .5 miles (lost count at 43 laps)
Time - 45:00
Sport - Biking
Distance - 20.02 miles
Time - Not sure
June 11, 2008
Taking a Closer Look
I looked back through my blog archives today and counted the number of times I've been swimming. I had two, one-hour lessons and have since been to the pool just 11 times. This realization was significant to me because it shifted my thinking from how much I suck to how far I've come in such a short period of time. In fact, until last Tuesday, I was barely swimming 18-20 laps and now I'm doing double that in less time.
Today was a good day at the pool. I loosened my goggles a bit so we've had a temporary reconciliation. I still had the rings, but much less severe. I did a few warm up laps to get comfortable, but had only 30 minutes today so my goal was to cover the same distance with very little stopping. I have finally started doing two consecutive laps each time with no rest, a huge improvement for me. Maybe tomorrow it will be three.
When I got off the elevator in the building where I swim, I noticed the faint smell of chlorine in the air, even though the pool is a good distance from where I enter. I had a flashback to childhood. Of staying in hotels with pools and of feeling so excited when I smelled the chlorine and knew I'd soon be playing in the water. It's funny how a pool is so magical as a child. It's no wonder children can learn to swim so naturally, so easily. I loved to play in the pool as a kid, but I waited almost 33 years to tackle the swimming part. On one hand, I regret I didn't learn sooner, but on the other, I'm grateful for this experience as an adult. I guess everything is as it should be.
Tomorrow is my 33rd birthday. I'm not working and my only obligation is to make it to the pool early enough to enjoy it. I'd also like to go for a mid-day ride, always a treat on a weekday. I'll then be gathering with friends at my usual bar for a very informal celebration. I'm not big on birthdays, it's just another year gone by after all. But this year feels different. It's a year where I decided to be a different person, to try new things. For once, I didn't over think it - I just did it. And the rewards have made it all so worthwhile. Now that's worth celebrating.
Sport - Swimming
Distance - .5 miles
Time - 30:00
Strength Training - 30:00
Today was a good day at the pool. I loosened my goggles a bit so we've had a temporary reconciliation. I still had the rings, but much less severe. I did a few warm up laps to get comfortable, but had only 30 minutes today so my goal was to cover the same distance with very little stopping. I have finally started doing two consecutive laps each time with no rest, a huge improvement for me. Maybe tomorrow it will be three.
When I got off the elevator in the building where I swim, I noticed the faint smell of chlorine in the air, even though the pool is a good distance from where I enter. I had a flashback to childhood. Of staying in hotels with pools and of feeling so excited when I smelled the chlorine and knew I'd soon be playing in the water. It's funny how a pool is so magical as a child. It's no wonder children can learn to swim so naturally, so easily. I loved to play in the pool as a kid, but I waited almost 33 years to tackle the swimming part. On one hand, I regret I didn't learn sooner, but on the other, I'm grateful for this experience as an adult. I guess everything is as it should be.
Tomorrow is my 33rd birthday. I'm not working and my only obligation is to make it to the pool early enough to enjoy it. I'd also like to go for a mid-day ride, always a treat on a weekday. I'll then be gathering with friends at my usual bar for a very informal celebration. I'm not big on birthdays, it's just another year gone by after all. But this year feels different. It's a year where I decided to be a different person, to try new things. For once, I didn't over think it - I just did it. And the rewards have made it all so worthwhile. Now that's worth celebrating.
Sport - Swimming
Distance - .5 miles
Time - 30:00
Strength Training - 30:00
June 10, 2008
Ring Around.... My Eyes!!!
The passionate love affair with my new goggles came to an abrupt end this morning. Yes, they keep the water out and, amazingly, they don't fog too badly. Yes, I was able adjust them a bit better so my eyes don't feel like they are going to pop out any moment. However, after 40 minutes in the pool today, I slipped them off and headed into the locker room and, for the first time, I looked in the mirror before getting into the shower and was horrified by what I saw. I had HUGE red goggle rings around both eyes. I looked like some sort of insane masked villain only that was no mask, that was my face with quarter-inch indentations around my eyes. Hours later, the marks were still faintly there. I had to wear big, dark glasses in order to avoid frightening children and small dogs.
Raccoon eyes aside, today's swim was OK. I was definitely a bit rusty after the three-day hiatus so the first several laps were mostly just getting back into the rhythm. I tried to focus on glide to get further with less effort, which is great for the triathlon and keeps me from having to hang on the wall when I reach the end of the pool. When you watch videos of swimmers from under the water, they look so smooth and natural. This funny teaching DVD talks about "swimming like fishes" in this soothing, Bob Ross-like voice, how the right technique will get you to this smooth, natural movement. The only fish-like movement I seem to have adopted would be that of one flopping around out of water, gasping for air.
I did, however, have a realization today that was really good. When you lift your head to breathe, you often have a little water in your mouth, which at first, can catch you off guard and make you feel like you can't take a deep breath. I noticed today that I am getting a good, full breath even with water in my mouth so that's a baby step closer to getting more comfortable breathing properly.
To avoid the heat wave we're having in New York, I kept my second workout of the day indoors. Since starting training, I have barely been to the gym. I enjoy the real stuff so much more and especially love getting outside. But when it's pushing 100 degrees, the gym starts to look pretty good. To break up the monotony, I did a little bike/run workout where I did three sets of biking for 10 minutes, then running for 10 minutes. It made the hour fly by and kept the boredom mostly at bay, although I tuned out for a minute on the treadmill and almost went right off the back! That has never happened to me before and it gave me quite a jolt. If I had to admit I was injured because I flew off the back of a treadmill, that would trump any humiliation I've experienced at the pool.
Sport - Swimming
Distance - .5 miles
Time - 40:00
Sport - Bike/Run Sets (3 x 10/10)
Distance - Bike: 6.61 miles; Running: 3.21 miles
Time - 1:00:00 (30:00 biking; 30:00 running)
Raccoon eyes aside, today's swim was OK. I was definitely a bit rusty after the three-day hiatus so the first several laps were mostly just getting back into the rhythm. I tried to focus on glide to get further with less effort, which is great for the triathlon and keeps me from having to hang on the wall when I reach the end of the pool. When you watch videos of swimmers from under the water, they look so smooth and natural. This funny teaching DVD talks about "swimming like fishes" in this soothing, Bob Ross-like voice, how the right technique will get you to this smooth, natural movement. The only fish-like movement I seem to have adopted would be that of one flopping around out of water, gasping for air.
I did, however, have a realization today that was really good. When you lift your head to breathe, you often have a little water in your mouth, which at first, can catch you off guard and make you feel like you can't take a deep breath. I noticed today that I am getting a good, full breath even with water in my mouth so that's a baby step closer to getting more comfortable breathing properly.
To avoid the heat wave we're having in New York, I kept my second workout of the day indoors. Since starting training, I have barely been to the gym. I enjoy the real stuff so much more and especially love getting outside. But when it's pushing 100 degrees, the gym starts to look pretty good. To break up the monotony, I did a little bike/run workout where I did three sets of biking for 10 minutes, then running for 10 minutes. It made the hour fly by and kept the boredom mostly at bay, although I tuned out for a minute on the treadmill and almost went right off the back! That has never happened to me before and it gave me quite a jolt. If I had to admit I was injured because I flew off the back of a treadmill, that would trump any humiliation I've experienced at the pool.
Sport - Swimming
Distance - .5 miles
Time - 40:00
Sport - Bike/Run Sets (3 x 10/10)
Distance - Bike: 6.61 miles; Running: 3.21 miles
Time - 1:00:00 (30:00 biking; 30:00 running)
June 8, 2008
Small Rewards
I may never ever enjoy getting up at 6:30 on Sunday mornings, but I was thankful to have the early start today. When I started my ride up to Central Park at 7:30, it was already in the mid-80s and the sun was blazing. Today's group training was to focus on intensity with a time trial. We got started right away with a five-mile warm up, which is a loop of the park minus Harlem Hill, then reconvened to check in for our time trial, which would be two full loops (loop = 6.02 miles).
When I last rode in the park, I was averaging 22.5 minutes for every loop, which was pretty good particularly since it was my second ride of the season. But today I wanted to ride faster so I pushed a little harder. The park was crowded with all the usual obstacles I've written about before, and to make matters more challenging, the entire East side was barricaded for the Puerto Rican Day Parade so it narrowed the recreation area significantly. So I played it safe when needed and pushed as hard as I could when the conditions allowed it. I felt like I was riding very strong and despite my legs being sore when I woke up this morning, they were doing well.
I made my first lap in 20:13. I was trying really hard to hit 20 minutes, but this was close enough. There was no stopping in between so I kept going and continued to keep up the pace. I actually thought I was pushing harder and perhaps going faster on this loop and was excited that I might break 40 minutes, but ended up finishing in 40:33 - good enough! This is significantly better than where I was a few weeks ago and it can only get better from here.
I did another loop at a slower pace and called it a day. I rode home and immediately began planning my small reward for the effort - another trip to the Big Apple BBQ Festival. It pays to have a hard workout the morning of the festival. I was able to double up at Big Bob Gibson's relatively guilt free. I think I need to skip meat for about a week though.
Tomorrow will be a rest day. Because I increased my running this week, my legs are feeling really fatigued and I don't want to risk a foot relapse. The tightness and pain have pretty much subsided and I'm hoping to keep it that way as I gradually build my mileage. Sleeping an hour later will be another small reward, one I'm very much looking forward to.
Sport - Biking (time trial)
Distance - 12.04 mile time trial; 32 miles total
Time - 40:33 time trial; 2:08:46 total
When I last rode in the park, I was averaging 22.5 minutes for every loop, which was pretty good particularly since it was my second ride of the season. But today I wanted to ride faster so I pushed a little harder. The park was crowded with all the usual obstacles I've written about before, and to make matters more challenging, the entire East side was barricaded for the Puerto Rican Day Parade so it narrowed the recreation area significantly. So I played it safe when needed and pushed as hard as I could when the conditions allowed it. I felt like I was riding very strong and despite my legs being sore when I woke up this morning, they were doing well.
I made my first lap in 20:13. I was trying really hard to hit 20 minutes, but this was close enough. There was no stopping in between so I kept going and continued to keep up the pace. I actually thought I was pushing harder and perhaps going faster on this loop and was excited that I might break 40 minutes, but ended up finishing in 40:33 - good enough! This is significantly better than where I was a few weeks ago and it can only get better from here.
I did another loop at a slower pace and called it a day. I rode home and immediately began planning my small reward for the effort - another trip to the Big Apple BBQ Festival. It pays to have a hard workout the morning of the festival. I was able to double up at Big Bob Gibson's relatively guilt free. I think I need to skip meat for about a week though.Tomorrow will be a rest day. Because I increased my running this week, my legs are feeling really fatigued and I don't want to risk a foot relapse. The tightness and pain have pretty much subsided and I'm hoping to keep it that way as I gradually build my mileage. Sleeping an hour later will be another small reward, one I'm very much looking forward to.
Sport - Biking (time trial)
Distance - 12.04 mile time trial; 32 miles total
Time - 40:33 time trial; 2:08:46 total
June 7, 2008
Barbecued
Today was a really good day. I slept like the dead again last night, woke up at 7:00 and was out the door at 8:00 for a race in Central Park. It was the women's-only New York Mini 10K, a race of 4,104 women that has been run since 1972. It was incredible to be surrounded by female athletes of all ages and types. There was a more civilized atmosphere and despite the sweltering heat and humidity, the start corral definitely smelled better than your average 10K. The oppressive heat actually reminded me of last year's Chicago Marathon.
The race started on Central Park West at 61st so we got to run on the street for a bit before entering the park. My first mile was strong, but the second and third were all uphill so I had to push hard. I have been battling stitches since I haven't run for a few months so I had to fight through some terrible spasms, particularly after the water stations. I need to get back into the groove of eating and drinking while running.
I maintained a pretty consistent pace throughout and even though my legs, and arms from swimming, felt like lead around mile four, I pushed on and finished strong in 864th place in 54:08, an average of 8:43 per mile. I'm slowly making my way back to where I was last winter and again, it was a pain-free run.
I took my time getting home from the race, then immediately hopped on my bike on the trainer for a quick ride. I was really hungry and tired from the race, but didn't want to waste a minute, so I ate an Eggo and drank a coffee while I biked. I figured it would save me at least 10 minutes. There's nothing like drinking a nice, hot Mud Truck coffee while doing cardiovascular activity. I rode for an hour and watched the coverage of the 2007 Kona Ironman yet again to pass the time. I have a confession to make. I have watched this at least eight times and I never get tired of the incredible human interest stories, of Scott Rigsby being the first double amputee to complete an Ironman, or Charlie Plaskon, the blind grandfather that defied odds and finished the race. I just love it. And I watch it all the time. If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend it.
After an active morning, I rewarded myself at the Big Apple BBQ Block Party. I had pulled pork shoulder from Big Bob Gibson's, said to be the best pulled pork in the U.S., and two servings of the whole hog. I stood in the hot sun for about an hour total waiting for my delicious pig and it was totally worth it. I finished it off with banana bourbon Nilla Wafer pudding and smores. If that doesn't undo a morning of physical activity, I don't know what does. I'll be heading back there tomorrow for more pork shoulder and some Texas brisket. The BBQ festival is definitely in my Top 5 favorite days of the year.
I'm so tired at this point that I can barely stay awake. On a Saturday night, that's generally not a good thing, but we are doing time trials tomorrow for our bike training so I need the rest. At least I'll have another active morning to justify an afternoon at the pork festival. What a great weekend.
Sport - Running (NYRRC Mini 10K)
Distance - 10K (6.2 miles)
Time - 54:08
Sport - Biking (on trainer)
Distance - 12 miles
Time - 1:02:45
The race started on Central Park West at 61st so we got to run on the street for a bit before entering the park. My first mile was strong, but the second and third were all uphill so I had to push hard. I have been battling stitches since I haven't run for a few months so I had to fight through some terrible spasms, particularly after the water stations. I need to get back into the groove of eating and drinking while running.I maintained a pretty consistent pace throughout and even though my legs, and arms from swimming, felt like lead around mile four, I pushed on and finished strong in 864th place in 54:08, an average of 8:43 per mile. I'm slowly making my way back to where I was last winter and again, it was a pain-free run.
I took my time getting home from the race, then immediately hopped on my bike on the trainer for a quick ride. I was really hungry and tired from the race, but didn't want to waste a minute, so I ate an Eggo and drank a coffee while I biked. I figured it would save me at least 10 minutes. There's nothing like drinking a nice, hot Mud Truck coffee while doing cardiovascular activity. I rode for an hour and watched the coverage of the 2007 Kona Ironman yet again to pass the time. I have a confession to make. I have watched this at least eight times and I never get tired of the incredible human interest stories, of Scott Rigsby being the first double amputee to complete an Ironman, or Charlie Plaskon, the blind grandfather that defied odds and finished the race. I just love it. And I watch it all the time. If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend it.
After an active morning, I rewarded myself at the Big Apple BBQ Block Party. I had pulled pork shoulder from Big Bob Gibson's, said to be the best pulled pork in the U.S., and two servings of the whole hog. I stood in the hot sun for about an hour total waiting for my delicious pig and it was totally worth it. I finished it off with banana bourbon Nilla Wafer pudding and smores. If that doesn't undo a morning of physical activity, I don't know what does. I'll be heading back there tomorrow for more pork shoulder and some Texas brisket. The BBQ festival is definitely in my Top 5 favorite days of the year.I'm so tired at this point that I can barely stay awake. On a Saturday night, that's generally not a good thing, but we are doing time trials tomorrow for our bike training so I need the rest. At least I'll have another active morning to justify an afternoon at the pork festival. What a great weekend.
Sport - Running (NYRRC Mini 10K)
Distance - 10K (6.2 miles)
Time - 54:08
Sport - Biking (on trainer)
Distance - 12 miles
Time - 1:02:45
June 6, 2008
Did I Miss Something?
I had to prep for work this morning so I didn't have the luxury of strolling to the pool and back with no regard to time. So I set my alarm for 6:45 and dragged myself out of bed for my fourth consecutive day at the pool. Before I get into that, let me share how exhausted you sometimes feel while training. While yesterday wasn't a particularly strenuous day, I swam in the morning, worked nonstop throughout the day and then ran at night. By the time I went to sleep, I was tired to the core, an unexplainable tiredness that makes you sleep as if someone beat you over the head with a heavy object. It's the kind of sleep where you don't wake up a single time in the night and you feel cheated when the alarm goes off. I had fleeting thoughts of sleeping in, but I pushed them aside and got up for my final swim this week.
When I arrived at the pool, I had a momentary panic. You have to walk past glass doors to the pool to get to the locker room so you get a little preview of how busy it is. The pool was dead empty and the water was smooth as glass so no one was even in it recently. I immediately thought I had missed something, that perhaps the adult lap swim wasn't happening on Fridays or that I had the times wrong. I haven't yet been on a Friday. I went to the locker room and got ready, and by the time I made my way to the pool, there was one lone guy. It was really nice to have the place almost to myself, and to my surprise it forced me to try harder since the lifeguard had no one else to watch.
I swam well again today, but still with limitations. I'm able to do more without stopping and I'm slowly finding my comfort zone in the water. I am feeling motivated to keep pushing because the elusive breakthrough must be just around the corner. If not, I'm enjoying it and it's a great way to spend the morning.
And I'm pleased to report that my new goggles were incredible! How can a pair of goggles called "vanquisher" fail you? They are a little tinted so that took some getting used to, but at least it dulled the image of someone's purple bandaid floating around under the water, still looped in a perfect circle. It's moments like those where I'm thankful for the burn of the chlorine.
Tomorrow morning I'm running in a women's-only 10K in the park. I plan to spend some time on my bike on the trainer, then will reward myself at the Big Apple BBQ Block Party in Madison Square Park. What better reason can you think of to get up early to run and bike?
Sport - Swimming
Distance - .5 miles
Time - 35:00
When I arrived at the pool, I had a momentary panic. You have to walk past glass doors to the pool to get to the locker room so you get a little preview of how busy it is. The pool was dead empty and the water was smooth as glass so no one was even in it recently. I immediately thought I had missed something, that perhaps the adult lap swim wasn't happening on Fridays or that I had the times wrong. I haven't yet been on a Friday. I went to the locker room and got ready, and by the time I made my way to the pool, there was one lone guy. It was really nice to have the place almost to myself, and to my surprise it forced me to try harder since the lifeguard had no one else to watch.
I swam well again today, but still with limitations. I'm able to do more without stopping and I'm slowly finding my comfort zone in the water. I am feeling motivated to keep pushing because the elusive breakthrough must be just around the corner. If not, I'm enjoying it and it's a great way to spend the morning.
And I'm pleased to report that my new goggles were incredible! How can a pair of goggles called "vanquisher" fail you? They are a little tinted so that took some getting used to, but at least it dulled the image of someone's purple bandaid floating around under the water, still looped in a perfect circle. It's moments like those where I'm thankful for the burn of the chlorine.
Tomorrow morning I'm running in a women's-only 10K in the park. I plan to spend some time on my bike on the trainer, then will reward myself at the Big Apple BBQ Block Party in Madison Square Park. What better reason can you think of to get up early to run and bike?
Sport - Swimming
Distance - .5 miles
Time - 35:00
June 5, 2008
Goggle Debacle
According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, a debacle is a great disaster or complete failure. This, my friends, is what happened with my goggles today. I strutted in feeling rather confident from yesterday's mini-breakthrough. I selected a lane to share and hopped in, ready to see how different today would be. I slipped on my goggles and started to swim. All was blissful for about 5 seconds, which was the point when water came flooding into my left goggle. I've had some minor leakage before and I'm convinced the classification of fog-resistant was an utter fabrication, but I have never experienced a full-scale, complete failure - or debacle - quite like this. I went back to the wall, took them off and attempted some minor surgery, but it seemed to be a loss. I sucked it up and started my laps. After the one-mile walk to the pool and the effort of just getting into the water, I figured I'd rather swim with my eyes closed than throw in the towel.
My shaky start smoothed out quickly and I felt as comfortable as yesterday. I didn't make any massive advances, but I feel like I'm able to do more with less effort. I feel like I'm at least on the right path.
After my lane-mate exited, I had the lane to myself for a bit before another swimmer joined me. It was a guy in incredible shape that you could just tell was a good swimmer. I'm sure he's a lovely person, but it's not the kind of guy I like to share a lane with. After all, when I choose a lane to share, I look for very slow swimmers or the nice, older neighborhood ladies that paddle with a flotation board. But after observing for a few minutes, he picked my lane and joined. We exchanged niceties and were on our way. I was immediately mortified to have to swim alongside him, and even more mortified when it occurred to me that he likely chose me as a partner the same way I choose my partners - slow and barely swimming. So I not only swallowed my daily quota of chlorinated water, but I also swallowed my pride. I kept swimming and it gave me a little extra incentive to finish up quickly.
Tonight was my JackRabbit group run. We did something a little unusual since we needed to regroup at the JackRabbit store. We ran a long warm up from Central Park to the Hudson River Park (about .75 miles) then did a tempo run down to 14th Street with a long cool down across 14th to the store. I ran with some great girls and we kept up a good pace. However, I likely didn't run hard enough because I was able to chat along the way and on a good tempo run, talking should be difficult. But what's the fun of training with a group if you can't talk?
We ended at JackRabbit for our group shopping night. It was a great opportunity to talk to our coaches about gear and find all sorts of tempting goodies to further drive up the cost of this race. First on my agenda was, of course, new goggles. I got a great pair that I cannot wait to try out tomorrow. Next, I decided to ditch the one-piece tri suit I recently bought and tried on a million versions of tri tops instead. After another grueling half-hour in the dressing room, I found the perfect combo and bought two of everything.
But finally, the most fun purchase of the day, and quite possibly for the entire tri, is the Kryptonite New York Fahgettaboutit lock, the mother of all locks that not even a professional can bust open. It's so serious that if you lose the key, you have to contact Kryptonite with your special code and they will make you a new one. I can now ride my bike to the pool and lock it up with confidence. Plus, this thing weighs over six pounds so it doubles as a self-defense tool. And, people will mistake me for a bike messenger, which means they will clear out of the way when they see me riding down the street. A good purchase indeed.
Sport - Swimming
Distance - .5 miles
Time - 45:00
Sport - Running
Distance - Approximately 3.85 miles (loosely measured on gmap pedometer)
Time - Not sure, forgot my watch
My shaky start smoothed out quickly and I felt as comfortable as yesterday. I didn't make any massive advances, but I feel like I'm able to do more with less effort. I feel like I'm at least on the right path.
After my lane-mate exited, I had the lane to myself for a bit before another swimmer joined me. It was a guy in incredible shape that you could just tell was a good swimmer. I'm sure he's a lovely person, but it's not the kind of guy I like to share a lane with. After all, when I choose a lane to share, I look for very slow swimmers or the nice, older neighborhood ladies that paddle with a flotation board. But after observing for a few minutes, he picked my lane and joined. We exchanged niceties and were on our way. I was immediately mortified to have to swim alongside him, and even more mortified when it occurred to me that he likely chose me as a partner the same way I choose my partners - slow and barely swimming. So I not only swallowed my daily quota of chlorinated water, but I also swallowed my pride. I kept swimming and it gave me a little extra incentive to finish up quickly.
Tonight was my JackRabbit group run. We did something a little unusual since we needed to regroup at the JackRabbit store. We ran a long warm up from Central Park to the Hudson River Park (about .75 miles) then did a tempo run down to 14th Street with a long cool down across 14th to the store. I ran with some great girls and we kept up a good pace. However, I likely didn't run hard enough because I was able to chat along the way and on a good tempo run, talking should be difficult. But what's the fun of training with a group if you can't talk?
We ended at JackRabbit for our group shopping night. It was a great opportunity to talk to our coaches about gear and find all sorts of tempting goodies to further drive up the cost of this race. First on my agenda was, of course, new goggles. I got a great pair that I cannot wait to try out tomorrow. Next, I decided to ditch the one-piece tri suit I recently bought and tried on a million versions of tri tops instead. After another grueling half-hour in the dressing room, I found the perfect combo and bought two of everything.
But finally, the most fun purchase of the day, and quite possibly for the entire tri, is the Kryptonite New York Fahgettaboutit lock, the mother of all locks that not even a professional can bust open. It's so serious that if you lose the key, you have to contact Kryptonite with your special code and they will make you a new one. I can now ride my bike to the pool and lock it up with confidence. Plus, this thing weighs over six pounds so it doubles as a self-defense tool. And, people will mistake me for a bike messenger, which means they will clear out of the way when they see me riding down the street. A good purchase indeed.Sport - Swimming
Distance - .5 miles
Time - 45:00
Sport - Running
Distance - Approximately 3.85 miles (loosely measured on gmap pedometer)
Time - Not sure, forgot my watch
June 4, 2008
Making the Most of It
I have never been a morning person and I'm assuming I never will be. But it's amazing how much you can get done when you get up really early. I ran a 5-mile race at 5:30 this morning so I was up about as early as I can manage to be. I was all ready to go and headed out the door when I noticed it was raining. It was actually pouring. Even though it was in the 60's, it felt cold. But there was no turning back so I hopped in a cab and headed up to Central Park.
Because of the rain and cold, the first mile was very slow for me. I used it as a warm up and paid close attention to how my foot was feeling. All was good so I stepped up the pace to catch up a bit for the remainder of the race. The rain never stopped, but I don't mind running in the rain. It's a great sensory experience that takes your mind off the fact that you're actually running for at least some of the time. It was also great to be in Central Park so early. It's amazing that 2,000 people agreed and showed up despite the weather. I ended up finishing in 45:06, not bad at all for my first race in New York this year.
Since I got an early start, I decided to make the most of it by going right to the pool after the race. I was worried I might be tired in the water, but it was actually quite the opposite. I swam my best today. Maybe the race was the ultimate warm up. Maybe it was finally time. I don't know what it was, but it felt great. I did some drills, but was mostly just swimming laps, which has been fairly elusive thus far. I still had to rest a lot, but tried to shorten my breaks in an effort to keep moving.
I did 36 laps, which is a half mile, and then did an extra four to wrap up. I actually didn't want to stop, but I have learned that if I try to overdo it, I end up having a relapse and everything falls apart. So I left on a high note feeling optimistic about the next time. I might be closer to that breakthrough than I know. We'll see.
Sport - Running (NYRRC Anniversary Run)
Distance - 5 miles
Time - 45:06
Sport - Swimming
Distance - A little over .5 miles
Time - 50:00
Because of the rain and cold, the first mile was very slow for me. I used it as a warm up and paid close attention to how my foot was feeling. All was good so I stepped up the pace to catch up a bit for the remainder of the race. The rain never stopped, but I don't mind running in the rain. It's a great sensory experience that takes your mind off the fact that you're actually running for at least some of the time. It was also great to be in Central Park so early. It's amazing that 2,000 people agreed and showed up despite the weather. I ended up finishing in 45:06, not bad at all for my first race in New York this year.Since I got an early start, I decided to make the most of it by going right to the pool after the race. I was worried I might be tired in the water, but it was actually quite the opposite. I swam my best today. Maybe the race was the ultimate warm up. Maybe it was finally time. I don't know what it was, but it felt great. I did some drills, but was mostly just swimming laps, which has been fairly elusive thus far. I still had to rest a lot, but tried to shorten my breaks in an effort to keep moving.
I did 36 laps, which is a half mile, and then did an extra four to wrap up. I actually didn't want to stop, but I have learned that if I try to overdo it, I end up having a relapse and everything falls apart. So I left on a high note feeling optimistic about the next time. I might be closer to that breakthrough than I know. We'll see.
Sport - Running (NYRRC Anniversary Run)
Distance - 5 miles
Time - 45:06
Sport - Swimming
Distance - A little over .5 miles
Time - 50:00
June 3, 2008
Somewhere Between Love and Hate
Swimming. There are times I look forward to it so much I can think of nothing else than getting to the pool. Other times, it registers about as high as a root canal. Due to my unexpected cold, I have not been to the pool since last Thursday. So I went today, long overdue, and had expectations that I might have suddenly crossed that threshold I've been so desperately trying to cross.
While today was not a total loss, I have yet to reach that magical point where I'm feeling confident in my swimming. In fact, there were laps today that made me stop, grab the side of the pool, and utter how much I hate this. It's not that I hate swimming, but I hate being so inept at it. I get overwhelmed by the frustration and exhaustion sometimes (OK, often) and wonder if I'll ever get it. But other times, I absolutely love it. I feel free in the water and I always think about how I'm conquering something that I've wanted to do my entire life. Those are the days where I can barely wait to get to the pool and I don't care how much work it takes, I'm willing to keep trying over and over again.
Today's hate moments were perfectly balanced with love moments. I am definitely making incredible progress and am able to swim several comfortable laps punctuated by a few really botched attempts, but that's to be expected when you've only been to the pool about 10 times. I feel like I'm on the verge of that elusive breakthrough so I'm going to make my best effort to go as many consecutive days as possible this week in order to finally get there.
Tomorrow morning at 5:30 a.m., I will be running in the New York Road Runner's Club Anniversary Run, a 5-miler in Central Park that will be finished before most people even get up for the day. It will likely be raining, but that won't spoil the fun of running in the park that early on a weekday. My plan is to do the race, then get to the pool early immediately after. It may take several coffees to achieve this, but I'm really looking forward to the challenge.
Sport - Swimming
Distance - I stopped counting
Time - 35:00
While today was not a total loss, I have yet to reach that magical point where I'm feeling confident in my swimming. In fact, there were laps today that made me stop, grab the side of the pool, and utter how much I hate this. It's not that I hate swimming, but I hate being so inept at it. I get overwhelmed by the frustration and exhaustion sometimes (OK, often) and wonder if I'll ever get it. But other times, I absolutely love it. I feel free in the water and I always think about how I'm conquering something that I've wanted to do my entire life. Those are the days where I can barely wait to get to the pool and I don't care how much work it takes, I'm willing to keep trying over and over again.
Today's hate moments were perfectly balanced with love moments. I am definitely making incredible progress and am able to swim several comfortable laps punctuated by a few really botched attempts, but that's to be expected when you've only been to the pool about 10 times. I feel like I'm on the verge of that elusive breakthrough so I'm going to make my best effort to go as many consecutive days as possible this week in order to finally get there.
Tomorrow morning at 5:30 a.m., I will be running in the New York Road Runner's Club Anniversary Run, a 5-miler in Central Park that will be finished before most people even get up for the day. It will likely be raining, but that won't spoil the fun of running in the park that early on a weekday. My plan is to do the race, then get to the pool early immediately after. It may take several coffees to achieve this, but I'm really looking forward to the challenge.
Sport - Swimming
Distance - I stopped counting
Time - 35:00
June 1, 2008
Choices
When I woke up this morning, I had a choice to make - join my group training ride at 8:00 and be prepared that it may be all I had the energy for, or skip it and do a longer ride on my own a bit later. As much as I hated to skip the training ride, I chose the second option. I felt tremendously better, but didn't think I had the strength to do the group ride plus my own ride after. I'm happy with the choice I made. I was able to get an extra hour of sleep, which my body desperately needed, and today was a picture perfect day for riding.
I did another variation on the ride to Nyack I've written about before, only I took the train to the George Washington Bridge this time and rode over. The bridge was filled with bikers, some already on their way back and others, like me, who decided to sleep a little later and were just getting going. I made the trip to Nyack through New Jersey like last time, only this time going directly from the Bridge. It was 25 miles to my favorite re-fueling stop, the Runcible Spoon. I felt great for most of the ride up. I was keeping a good, consistent pace and remembering to shift early and often, as urged by our coaches in the last training ride. I only started to feel fatigued about four miles from Nyack. I ate a tiny breakfast and it was finally catching up to me.
After a sandwich, a smoothie and a little rest, I was back on the road home, only this time I tackled the hills of 9W. I realized I haven't been on 9W since last year and while this ride gets boring toward the end of the season, I missed it. Immediately upon leaving Piermont, there is a very steep, difficult hill that really sets the stage for what's to come on the 18-mile ride back to the bridge. Next comes the worst of all the hills, what I fondly call "Humiliation Hill" since I'm generally pedaling my fastest - in the granny gear - when I'm passed by some guy with huge legs going well over two times faster. This hill is brutal. It's .65 miles and very steep, but what's worse is that it starts on a long curve so you think the top might be around that curve. But then you round the curve and there is a long straightaway that feels as though it goes on forever. And to top it off, there really isn't a downhill after, so it takes awhile to catch your breath. There are two or three more challenging hills on this route, which is why it's such a great place to train. The ride back was great overall and very fast.
My cold is still hanging on, but I'm glad it relented enough to allow me to get out and ride today. It was by far my best ride so far, even with the ever-present cough and sniffle. I plan to see how I feel tomorrow before deciding what's next. Hopefully, regardless of what I choose, I'll be doing it cold-free.
Sport - Biking
Distance - 48 miles (43 from the bridge and back; additional city/bridge miles)
Time - 3:20:00
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